[MrProggie]

Quote:

 

The RSA Protector seems to be your choice between the two.

 
 
If money is no object the Protector will be my first choice. Then I will buy a balanced silver cable  from Moon Audio to use with it at the same time. There's a big chance I will find a cheaper amp in the 200-250 US dollar bracket before that happens. Raging Moose is interesting in that price bracket. In the mean time iBasso is also working on a balanced amp. So I am following the news in the portable headphone amp market with argus eyes.
 
My goal when working to reach audio nirvana is as high resolution as possible and neutral sound. When it sounds like you're in the studio when they're recording and you hear all sounds made,  intentional and unintentional, then we're on our way. 
 
I've heard about the Sennheiser veil, but on the HD650 it doesn't bother me.

 

[Insomnymous]

Awesome review, helps a newbie like me out a lot!

 

[Hellenback]

 
Quote:

I've heard about the Sennheiser veil, but on the HD650 it doesn't bother me.

That's because it's a myth perpetrated by people who prefer upper/mid-range accentuation in their headphones.

 
Oh I forgot.....IMHO

 

[productred]

Anyone aware whether the iQube utilizes an opamp and if so which one? Can't find any info on that anywhere.......thx~

 

[Skylab]

The iQube is a class-D amp, so no, not op-amp based.

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

Hah! I think started it by saying that I put amps into three tiers - top tier, middle and bottom tier.  

 
Although when I looked at my list of amps in each tier I found that I needed to put another one between middle and bottom tier. I just never got around to removing my individual rankings in my own review. Here is what I thought of the portable amps that I've reviewed if I were to put them into tiers, and why.
 
In the top tier I put the amps that seem to offer the full rich and refined sound that you might expect from a similar desktop amp, but in a smaller power class.  They seem to have very few areas where the sound is noticeably colored or lacking, with above average transparency/detail, but not always very neutral.  They especially have a better ability to put me right there in the performance venue, where instruments and singers seem to better take up physical space with real dimensions.  This includes amps such as the.......
 
In the second tier I had put amps that are nice but maybe don't have the full weight of a realistic reproduction. Or, they might have sacrifices in soundstage depth or width, or in micro-detail.  Some good sounding amps still fit in this category, which are just not quite up to the task of moving into the top tier.  This includes the RSA Tomahawk, Meier Headsix, Headstage Lyrix,.......

Sorry to chop up your post but these "quoted post" replies can get pretty bulky.
 
As you took the opportunity to experiment with and rate the Lyrix, you really should try to get a hold of an Arrow HE and a Wolfson WM8740 line-dac from Headstage. I think you'd find the Arrow is every bit as good as any of the top tier amps and IMO better than some. The Wolfson chip has transformed their line-dac (even with the standard leads) & it's performance is stellar regardless of it's low price.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Sorry to chop up your post but these "quoted post" replies can get pretty bulky.
 
As you took the opportunity to experiment with and rate the Lyrix, you really should try to get a hold of an Arrow HE and a Wolfson WM8740 line-dac from Headstage. I think you'd find the Arrow is every bit as good as any of the top tier amps and IMO better than some. The Wolfson chip has transformed their line-dac (even with the standard leads) & it's performance is stellar regardless of it's low price.

Would love to see this review as well.

 

[p0w3rL3s5]

Sorry, i'm very new to the audio world, but i'm just curious how well would the P-51 Mustang drives a Shure SE530? Will there be the hiss and stuff? 
 

 

[Skylab]

It should drive the 530's very, very well.  You could use the low-gain mode of the P-51 to ensure no hiss.

 

[dallan]

Can't wait for Brad to send you the L3, new mini Lisa project over there at Triad Skylab.  Hope it gives a more compact solution to high end portable amps.  Lisa blows away my Pico which is still very good, but the size issue and the RCA only out is rough to deal with sometimes.  

 

[Skylab]

Yeah, looking forward to that as well

 

[swbf2cheater]

Cmoy BB 2.02 needs to be added

 

[deniall83]

I would love if you could do a review of the Ortofon Hd-Q7 amp as there doesn't seem to be any out there.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Cmoy BB 2.02 needs to be added

Is it readily available commercially somewhere?

 
Quote:

I would love if you could do a review of the Ortofon Hd-Q7 amp as there doesn't seem to be any out there.

While the Hd-Q7 is quite small, it would have to be battery-operated to be included here, which it does not appear to be.

 

[cooperpwc]

Indeed the "Bass Boost cMoy v2.02 Headphone Amplifier" is commercially available for $65 here. (I have never hear it though.)